The present invention relates to a painting tool and more particularly to a painting tool having an adjustable paint mask guide integral therewith.
The accurate application of paint along an edge or in a straight line using a hand-held painting tool is a highly skilled task requiring experience and a far steadier hand than possessed by most people. Traditional methods for accurately painting along an edge or a straight line have involved applying a length of masking tape to define the straight line or shield the edge to remain unpainted. The tape is then removed once the paint is applied leaving a straight line or an unpainted edge. This method may be messy, costly and time consuming.
Another method involves using a brush or other paint applicator in one hand and a shield or other masking guide in another hand. As with the masking tape the shield or masking guide is held on a surface or against an edge while the paint is applied. The shield or masking guide is moved along the surface as more paint is to be applied. This method can be just as messy and time consuming as the tape masking method and requires two steady, dexterous hands.
In view of the foregoing disadvantages of traditional methods of paint masking, there is a need for an improved painting tool that is less messy, less costly and less time consuming. There is a need for a painting tool with an integral masking guide that would avoid the need of applying masking tape that would need to be removed after the paint had dried in order to paint a straight line or a clean edge. Further, there is a need for a painting tool with an integral masking guide such that a worker does not need to hold two separate implements in order to paint a straight line or a clean edge. The present invention fulfills these needs and provides other related advantages.